Eighton Bahn AKA testing testing RhB

Well it's the Stockton & Darlington Railway's 200th anniversary today, so I ran a train, well why not?

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...and yes it's the old Crok, and it's working, new motors and a replacement XLS chip. Spot the fault on the old one...

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Not happy with the new sound file, it's a very different beast. Whilst Massoth have sent me an email with the old file, I carn't get it work or upload via the Service Tool, it always baffles me. So I will just have to get used to it's new voice.
I thought I might celebrate by running over an MP, but I couldn't find one at the time :oops::oops::oops:
 
Update.

Chip may be part of a faulty batch, as I appear not to be the only one who has had problems with XLS's bought from this particular supplier in Germany.
So for the moment the Crok is now brainless, bit like me I suppose then. A plan is in hand as it were.
 
I had similar before (some years ago) the 'fix' then was to load the 'S' version of the soundfile.

It seemed to work, but I was never sure if it backed up correctly, when I made a copy in case the job came back to me at any point.

PhilP.
 
Got back from P&S Hobbies in Scarborough earlier today with the Crok chip updated/sorted to the way I would like, so It's now ready to re install over the weekend, other things permitting.
On the other hand I have also got to the bottom of my Service Tool woes as well. My version 8175201 can not be updated/connected via the Massoth site as it is not for some reason supported.:swear: But Paul has given me some pointers to try and resolve the problem, as I will have to search and remove all the MST files from the computer and re start from scratch.
So maybe I am not such a idiot after all.

I wish to publicaly put on record my thanks to Paul at P&S Hobbies for all his help.
As I have said elsewhere, Paul didn't have to help, it wasn't his problem, he didn't supply the chip in the first place, but I was glad for it.
 
Whilst it is nice to get stuff from overseas at discounted price, purchasing from a local UK business helps to keep them in business and they will hopefully still be present if and when you need help in the future.
 
There is the saying, buy cheap and pay twice. But in my case the loco chip was down to cashflow at the time, so lesson learned, I agree.

As for the MST, It's was supplied from P&S, and Paul is even baffled why it is not supported. But there is a plan A and B to try and rectify this.

Most of my railway has come from various UK suppliers, with very little in the way of overseas imports. I think they total, less than 5% of my railway spend.
Even buying from the UK is not allways a good thing in terms of quality of the product/service or even backup if things go wrong, bitter experience has shown.
 
There is the saying, buy cheap and pay twice. But in my case the loco chip was down to cashflow at the time, so lesson learned, I agree.

As for the MST, It's was supplied from P&S, and Paul is even baffled why it is not supported. But there is a plan A and B to try and rectify this.

Most of my railway has come from various UK suppliers, with very little in the way of overseas imports. I think they total, less than 5% of my railway spend.
Even buying from the UK is not allways a good thing in terms of quality of the product/service or even backup if things go wrong, bitter experience has shown.
When I look back at my railway purchases, it's surprising how many of them were previously enjoyed :eek::eek:
 
There is the saying, buy cheap and pay twice. But in my case the loco chip was down to cashflow at the time, so lesson learned, I agree.

As for the MST, It's was supplied from P&S, and Paul is even baffled why it is not supported. But there is a plan A and B to try and rectify this.

Most of my railway has come from various UK suppliers, with very little in the way of overseas imports. I think they total, less than 5% of my railway spend.
Even buying from the UK is not allways a good thing in terms of quality of the product/service or even backup if things go wrong, bitter experience has shown.
Have to put my hand up to obtaining direct from EU prior to the dreaded B word, like you costs were an issue. Later much of what I got was sourced from the very much missed Glendale Jcn. and their backup plus support was second to none. I have also sourced quite a lot from GRS and found them to be pretty good both with new and second hand.
 
Well with all this talk of new/old/secondhand/local or overseas, I have added the parts for the tunnel mouths, which will be a project for 2026, as well as a couple of containers, Swmbo insisted that I bought them as well, so who am I to argue.:):giggle:

I came accross the 3D printed prototype at a recent Model Railway Exhibition, and after one of those work it out on the back of a fag packet type excercises, emailed back and forth to the supplier, Mumfy's Models to take into account clearances for pantographs, if fully raised, I have today collected from a local toy and model fair...

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...four of what is a kit of parts, the main four pieces slot together to make the prototype I saw, but with two 4 inch height extensions which will need to be added somehow if I need them...

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...whilst the height clearance looks tight, the tunnel mouth is resting against the blockwork so it's not fully upright...

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...from my prospective with teathered pantographs (with fishing line as seen in the middle of the pantograph.) in order to fit through the LGB girder bridge, I should get away with just the prototype, without using the extension pieces. I may also have made a basic adding error in my height calculation for the extension pieces, but I am sure they can be trimmed if need. Not sure if I will paint them or not, but as I have said it's something for next year.
 
Well with all this talk of new/old/secondhand/local or overseas, I have added the parts for the tunnel mouths, which will be a project for 2026, as well as a couple of containers, Swmbo insisted that I bought them as well, so who am I to argue.:):giggle:

I came accross the 3D printed prototype at a recent Model Railway Exhibition, and after one of those work it out on the back of a fag packet type excercises, emailed back and forth to the supplier, Mumfy's Models to take into account clearances for pantographs, if fully raised, I have today collected from a local toy and model fair...

View attachment 348468

...four of what is a kit of parts, the main four pieces slot together to make the prototype I saw, but with two 4 inch height extensions which will need to be added somehow if I need them...

View attachment 348469

...whilst the height clearance looks tight, the tunnel mouth is resting against the blockwork so it's not fully upright...

View attachment 348470

...from my prospective with teathered pantographs (with fishing line as seen in the middle of the pantograph.) in order to fit through the LGB girder bridge, I should get away with just the prototype, without using the extension pieces. I may also have made a basic adding error in my height calculation for the extension pieces, but I am sure they can be trimmed if need. Not sure if I will paint them or not, but as I have said it's something for next year.
As Philip says paint will help with UV, spray ar brush paint Matt grey then Matt black finally followed by your colour of choice which should keep the UV out.
 
So I have decided to go with spray painting, the tunnel mouths.

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...improvised spray booth, from the box the tunnel mouths came in, but it would not hold a fully assembled tunnel mouth. now it is best to do this sort of activity in a well ventilated area, which the shed aint in that category...

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...but I have an alternative sparying booth which is well ventilated.:rolleyes:
 
Well given my back story, today has been a bit of a black day, but al fresco, well only one coat and not on the back side...

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...but also a bit of colour...

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...fingers crossed it will be another black and colourful day tomorrow.
 
So I have decided to go with spray painting, the tunnel mouths.

View attachment 348600

...improvised spray booth, from the box the tunnel mouths came in, but it would not hold a fully assembled tunnel mouth. now it is best to do this sort of activity in a well ventilated area, which the shed aint in that category...

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...but I have an alternative sparying booth which is well ventilated.:rolleyes:
I've tended to use etching primer for almost anything - I know it's meant for a limited number of metals, but it seems to be pretty good at preventing bad reactions both with the base material and with the top coat
 
Whilst I still ponder/search for the stoneish grey colour for the tunnel mouths topcoat, at least the backs have been done in black...

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...I can confirm they are all covered inspite of what the photo may make you believe. As for the skip and containers yellow, it's more of a weathered/distressed look, a bit of a lemon of a paint job all round...

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...see told you;):rolleyes:o_O
 
Whilst I still ponder/search for the stoneish grey colour for the tunnel mouths topcoat, at least the backs have been done in black...

View attachment 348689

...I can confirm they are all covered inspite of what the photo may make you believe. As for the skip and containers yellow, it's more of a weathered/distressed look, a bit of a lemon of a paint job all round...

View attachment 348690

...see told you;):rolleyes:o_O
Reminds me of my motorbike :giggle::giggle:
 
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